Crime & Public Safety
Driver arrested in Gainesville traffic stop after deputies say they found guns and cocaine
Alachua County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested a 46-year-old man after they say they found guns and cocaine in his pickup during a traffic stop on Southeast Hawthorne Road in Gainesville. The agency says the stop and subsequent search led to multiple firearms and alleged drugs being removed from the vehicle.
According to the sheriff’s office, deputies pulled the driver over Thursday afternoon for a traffic infraction. During the stop, deputies reported seeing the man discard what they identified as cocaine out of the vehicle window. Deputies then located three loaded pistols and a loaded rifle inside the truck.
The agency booked the man, identified in reporting as James Harrington, into the Alachua County jail on charges that include cocaine possession, having a weapon while committing a felony, possession of drug equipment, and evidence tampering. Bond was set at $12,000, per the booking information cited by the sheriff’s office.
Allegations in this report reflect the sheriff’s office account of the stop and the items deputies say they recovered. The report documents arrest and charge information and the physical items deputies reported finding; it does not provide results of laboratory analysis, court disposition, or adjudication. The case remains in the custody and charging phase as documented by the agency’s booking and charges.
All individuals accused of a crime are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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All individuals mentioned in criminal allegations are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.